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TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL 
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTEN- 
DENT OF SCHOOLS, 1919-1920 
PLANT OPERATION 



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BOARD OF EDUCATION smj^I 



THE CITY OF NEW YORK 






Annual Report 



of the 



Superintendent of Schools 



1919-1920 



PLANT OPERATION 



PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION 
FEBRUARY 23, 1921 



Twenty-second 
Annual Report 



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BOARD OF EDUCATION 

OF 

The City of New York 



ANNING S. PRALL, President 
GEORGE J. RYAN, Vice-President 



BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN 

Mrs. EMMA L. MURRAY M. SAMUEL STERN 

BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN 

Dr. JOHN A. FERGUSON ARTHUR S. SOMERS 

BOROUGH OF THE BRONX 

FRANK D. WILSEY 



BOROUGH OF QUEENS 

GEORGE J. RYAN 



BOROUGH OF RICHMOND 

ANNING S. PRALL 



SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 

WILLIAM L. ETTINGER 



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SUPERINTENDENT OF PLANT OPERATION 

ROBERT W. RODMAN 



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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



July 13, 1920. 



To the Board of Education: 



Ladies and Gentlemen: 

I beg ieave to submit herewith the brief but interesting 
report of the Bureau of Plant Operation, prepared by Mr. R. W. 
Rodman, Superintendent of said bureau. 

The creation of the Bureau of Plant Operation was a pro- 
gressive step in the administration of our school plant. Prior 
to the creation of the said bureau, the supervision of janitors 
was under the general direction of the Committee on Care of 
Buildings and immediately under the supervision of the Super- 
visor of Janitors. While the old organization was no doubt 
sufficient before the school system obtained its present magnitude, 
I soon became convinced that the creation of an independent 
bureau under the supervision of an energetic, efficient Superin- 
tendent was an absolute necessity, and so advised your honorable 
Board. Realizing the importance of the problem, the Board of 
Education, under date of February 13, 1919, adopted the 
necessary resolution and Superintendent R. W. Rodman assumed 
charge. 

Few persons not connected with the school system realize 
the magnitude of our present school plant comprising more 
than six hundred school buildings. To visualize the school 
plant which New York City has already provided for its children, 
exclusive of the large building program now under way, it may be 
interesting to state that the reader would have to think of a 
building the site of which would occupy over three-quarters 
of the area of Central Park, the floor space of which would equal 
one square mile, and the accommodations of which a total 







of 825,000 sittings and 18,000 classrooms would seat all the 
school children of Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, St. Louis, 
and Cleveland. 

One can readily understand that New York City must spend 
vast sums of money to provide the proper physical accommo- 
dations for instruction. Up to date the city has invested 
approximately $125,COO,000 in school buildings and structural 
equipment, the proper maintenance of which would cost much 
more than has been provided annually. The proper operation 
of the whole school plant would cost approximately two per 
cent of the full accumulated value of $160,000,000. 

Perhaps, apart from the creation of the bureau and the 
selection of Mr. R. W. Rodman as its head, the most important 
matter disposed of was the adoption of a scientific plan of 
compensation prepared by Auditor Henry R. M. Cook, which 
is included in the report as an appendix. 

At the time the bureau was organized the schools were in 
a most serious position because of inadequate janitorial com- 
pensation, the difficulty of securing help, and the failure of 
the financial authorities to provide sufficient funds for renova- 
tions and replacements. In addition to the foregoing, the 
difficulty of securing coal sufficient in amount and satisfactory 
in quality added to the difficulty of keeping the buildings in 
habitable condition for school children. 

I am glad to state, however, that each of these problems has 
been successfully attacked by Superintendent Rodman, and 
I am most optimistic with reference to future conditions. Up 
to date, the increased compensation, together with Mr. Rodman's 
mode of administration of his office, has restored to the janitorial 
service the morale which is absolutely essential to the proper 
conduct of the schools. The financial authorities have changed 
their attitude towards the matter of the upkeep of the buildings, 
and I am hopeful that in the future it will be possible to secure 
ample funds. Various other matters, such as the organization 
of the office, the development within the bureau of a division 
of heating and ventilation, so that those who plan heating and 
ventilation systems are also responsible for the efficient operation 
of the same, and also a careful study of such problems as the 




relative merits of the direct and indirect systems of employ 
ment, the quality of the fuel to be used, and the value of the 
present systems of artificial ventilation, merit the careful 
study of the bureau. 

Very truly yours, 

William L. Ettinger, 

Superintendent of Schools. 







_ May 7, 1920. 

Dr. William L. Ettinger, 

Superintendent of Schools. 
My Dear Dr. Ettinger: 

In reply to your letter of April 9, 1920, I beg to transmit 
the following report of the activities of the Bureau of Plant 
Operation from February 26, 1919, the date I assumed charge 
of the Bureau as Superintendent, to the close of the current 
school year. 

In accordance with a resolution adopted by the Board of 
Education on February 13, 1919 (see Journal, page 248), and 
instructions issued by you, I assumed charge of the newly 
created Bureau of Plant Operation of School Buildings as Super- 
intendent on February 26, 1919. 

Upon taking charge of the Bureau, I was confronted with 
conditions which, to say the least, were very chaotic. The 
morale of the janitorial force was at a low ebb due, in great 
measure, to the inadequate salaries paid to janitor-engineers, 
janitors, elevator attendants and cleaners, and the pressing 
labor conditions brought about by the war, which were re- 
flected m the condition of many of the buildings throughout 
the city. 

The question of revising the present system of janitorial 
compensation was a problem which received considerable atten- 
tion in past years, but without definite results. The necessity 
of modifying the old method of computing janitorial compen- 
sation was obvious as the system was adopted many years ago, 
and, for some time, has been inadequate owing to changes in 
character of building construction and equipment, and more 
recently to the effects of existing labor conditions. Shortly 
after the organization of the present Board of Education in 1918, 
a new schedule of compensation was presented by the Auditor' 
which schedule had the approval of all officials of the Board of 
Education, as well as the Custodians and Engineers' Associa- 



10 



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tion. This schedule provided an automatic method of deter- 
mining janitorial compensation upon a basis of surface measure- 
ment, which included all the various elements that enter into 
janitorial duties. A copy of the schedule is appended to this 
report and can be described briefly as follows : 

Cleaning. — Under the proposed plan the compensation for 
cleaning is, as under the old system, based upon the number of 
square feet to be cleaned. The new system modifies the 
initial rate of compensation and extends the present scale so 
as to make it more applicable to existing conditions. Under 
the old system, the initial rate of compensation was $50 per 
thousand square feet of surface for schools of 10,000 square 
feet or less, and the scale decreased by ten cents per 250 square 
feet as the size of the building increased up to 35,000 square 
feet, at which point the schedule reached was constant at $37 
per thousand square feet. This scale then applied to all 
buildings above 35,000 square feet. The new schedule provides 
for $75 per thousand square feet for buildings of 10,000 square 
feet or less, and decreases by graduated intervals as the size 
of the buildings increases up to 75,000 square feet, at which 
point the schedule is constant at $38 per thousand square feet. 



Paved Area. — With reference to compensation for cleaning 
paved areas, the new schedule changes only slightly the old 
schedule for this item. The new schedule provides a rate of 
$25 for areas of 10,000 square feet or less, which decreases by in- 
tervals as the area increases until the maximum area of 35,000 
square feet is reached, at which point the rate of $18.50 becomes 
constant. The new schedule omitted the sliding scale and fixed 
but two rates, one at $25 per thousand square feet for areas 
less than 10,000 square feet and the second at $18.50 for areas 
of over 10,000 square feet. 

Heating and Ventilating. — For operation of plant or of heating 
apparatus, the new schedule provides sliding scales of compen- 
sation based upon measurement of the floor area of the building 
to be heated. Inasmuch as the labor involved in the operation 
of a plant is dependent upon the size and character of the plant, 
the proposed schedule makes provision for such differences by 
classifying school buildings into three groups, and establishing 
a scale for each as follows: 

11 



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Class A. — High-pressure plant with plenum system requiring 
janitor-engineer. 

For buildings of this class, the scale begins at $25 per thousand 
square feet for buildings of 10,000 square feet and less, and decreases 
until it reaches $15 per thousand square feet for buildings of 100,000 
square feet or more.' 

Class B. — Gravity return plants with motor-driven blowers for 
plenum system requiring janitor-engineer. 

For buildings of this type, the scale provides a rate of $20 per 
thousand square feet for areas of 10,000 square feet or less, and 
decreases until it reaches $12 per thousand square feet for buildings 
of 80,000 square feet or more. 

Class C. — Hot-air furnaces, stoves, or low-pressure boilers 
requiring janitor. 

The scale for this type of building provides two rates: one of 
$15 per thousand square feet for buildings from 1 to 15,000 square 
feet, and $12 per thousand square feet for buildings over 15,000 
square feet. 

Compensation for Other Factors. — The new schedule makes 
provision for any special features as to equipment, fuel, or use 
of building which may tend to increase the janitorial work or 
service required: 

(a) For plants generating electricity $10 per thousand square 
feet is added. 

(b) For plants burning coal mixtures, etc., other than straight 
grades of fuel, an additional allowance of $3 per thousand square 
feet is made for the extra labor involved. 

(c) Provision is also made in the schedule for those buildings 
having double or duplicate session, part-time, or such type of school 
organizations as involves more intensive use of the building. For 
this an allowance of 10 per cent additional is made. 

Doubt, however, arose as to this schedule removing all of 
the inequalities that have heretofore existed, and the matter 
was referred to the Superintendent of Schools for investigation. 
While this investigation was being made, the Board of Educa- 
tion appointed a special committee, consisting of Commissioners 
Ryan, Wilsey, and Yeska, which committee, after careful con- 
sideration of the subject, came to the conclusion that it was 
imperative that something be done at once to increase the 
compensation of the janitor-engineers and janitors to meet press- 
ing labor conditions, pending an investigation of the entire 
question, and the adoption of an adequate and permanent 
schedule. As a result of this conclusion, the Board of Education 



12 




on September 25, 1918 (see Journal, pages 1252-53), increased 
the compensation of the janitor-engineers and janitors of all 
schools, and also the janitors of the Hall of the Board of Educa- 
tion and the office and storage building ten per cent over 
present rates, taking effect October 1, 1918, with the following 
exceptions, and fixed the minimum rate of compensation of all 
janitor-engineers, janitors, and cleaners in charge at $900 per 
annum, effective October 1, 1918: 

fOld Fire Headquarters building, Manhattan. 

♦Public School 188, Manhattan. 

*68th Street Depository. 

♦91st Street Depository. 

*Manual Training High School, Brooklyn. 

♦Public School 1, Queens. 

*Public School 5, Queens. 

♦Public School 6, Queens. 

*Public School 11, Queens. 

fPublic School 19, Queens. 

*Public School 20, Queens. 

*Public School 27, Queens. 

*Public School 31, Queens. 

fPublic School 33, Queens. 

*Public School 54, Queens. 

*Public School 72, Queens. 

*Public School 76, Queens. 

♦Public School 79, Queens. 

*Public School 80, Queens. 

*Public School 83, Queens. 

fPublic School 94, Queens. 

*Bryant High School, Queens. 

*Newtown High School, Queens. 

♦Jamaica High School, Queens. 

fPublic School 11, RichmoDd. 

*Public School 14, Richmond. 

♦Public School 17, Richmond. 

♦Public School 18, Richmond. 

fPublic School 28, Richmond. 

♦Curtis High School, Richmond. 



*Direct-system schools. 
fSchools in which the present 
excess of what should be allowed. 



compensation is deemed to be in 



13 







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In addition to these fixations, special fixations were made 
for the Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Eastern District and Evander 
Childs High Schools, and the Manhattan Trade School for 
Girls, based on surveys made of these particular buildings as to 
the actual amount of help necessary to properly care for the 
plants and buildings. 

On February 13, 1919, Commissioner George J. Ryan, and 
Dr. William L. Ettinger, Superintendent of Schools, presented 
a report on the matter of the schedule of salaries of janitor- 
engineers and janitors, which was submitted by the Auditor, 
and hereinbefore referred to, which approved the schedule as the 
official plan of compensation for the janitorial force in all regular 
day activities. This report will be found in the Minutes of the 
Board of Education of February 13, 1919 (see Journal, pages 
263-275). As stated in said report, no provision was made 
for so-called direct-system schools. 

Since the adoption of the latter report, I presented to the 
Board of Education a recommendation that all direct-system 
schools be increased as follows : 



Present Proposed 
School Compensation Compensation 

1, Queens $1,560 $1,872 

5, Queens 1,080 1,296 

6, Queens 1,560 1,872 

11, Queens 1,320 1,584 

20, Queens 1,320 1.584 

27, Queens 1,140 1,500 

72, Queens 1,140 1,368 

76, Queens 1,080 1,200 

79, Queens 1,140 1,368 

80, Queens 1,140 1,368 

S3, Queens 1,080 1,296 

Bryant High School 1,800 2,160 

Newtown High School 1,596 1,812 

Jamaica High School 1,140 1,368 

188, Manhattan 2,000 2,400 

Manual Training High School. . . . 2,000 2,580 

14, Richmond 1,320 1,584 

17, Richmond 1,440 1,728 

18, Richmond 1,320 1,584 

Curtis High School 1,560 1,872 



14 




said increases being twenty per cent over present rates in all 
but three cases, taking effect October 1, 1919. I also recom- 
mended the adjustment of several irregularities that came to 
light in indirect-system schools. These matters have been 
approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment and the 
Board of Aldermen and are now in effect. However, the adoption 
of this schedule and the increases for direct-system schools 
are not to be considered as closing the matter of the regulation 
of janitorial compensation, as the entire proposition must be made 
the subject of current and continued careful study and investi- 
gation, which I hope to make intensive just as soon as the Bureau 
of Plant Operation is thoroughly organized and on a proper 
working basis. 



The adoption of the present schedule and the increases for 
direct-system schools for a time minimized the dissatisfied 
spirit and unrest that has existed, and has tended to strengthen 
the morale of the employees coming under the jurisdiction of 
the Bureau, but labor difficulties have grown so much worse 
that the men in charge of our buildings urgently requested a 
further increase to meet the demands of labor upon them. 
Accordingly, I recommended to the Board of Education on 
January 28, 1920 (see Journal, page 163), in accordance with 
subdivision 8 of Section 877 of the Education law, that a 
special estimate in the sum of $497,272.35, be submitted to 
the Board of Estimate and Apportionment for the purpose of 
increasing the salaries of the janitorial staff twenty-five per cent 
over the then existing rates for both direct and indirect schools, 
taking effect January 1, 1920, as an investigation of the schools 
showed that they were being operated with less help now than they 
were when janitors were able to get help at pre-war prices. Even 
with a reduced number of helpers, the janitor-engineers and 
janitors were unable to pay the prevailing rates offered to fire- 
men and cleaners in commercial buildings, and, in a great many 
cases, they were left with hardly a living wage for themselves 
after paying for the help which was necessary to prevent a stop- 
page of the service. The granting of this additional twenty-five 
per cent increase was felt to be absolutely necessary in order 
to prevent a breakdown of the janitorial and engineering service. 
Furthermore, this recommendation was deemed absolutely 
necessary in view of the fact that it would be physically im- 



15 




possible to complete any intensive study of the janitorial 
compensation situation for a considerable time after the Bureau 
is on a thorough working basis. This study I intend to make 
with a view to the adoption of schedules which will fit the 
actual conditions as they exist in all buildings throughout the 
entire city. The Board of Estimate and Apportionment and the 
Board of Aldermen, after careful consideration of the matter, 
decided to allow a twenty per cent increase in the case of all 
indirect-system schools, to be effective as of January 1, 1920, 
and denied the request for increasing the direct-system schools 
for this year on account of the increase which was granted them, 
taking effect October 1, 1919. 

While on the question of salaries, I would also add that the 
compensation of licensed firemen in direct-system schools was 
increased from $912.50 to .$1,200 per annum, taking effect 
March 1, 1919, and to $1,460 per annum, taking effect 
January 1, 1920. The compensation of elevator attendants 
was increased from $840 and $948 per annum to $1,100 per annum, 
taking effect January 1, 1919, and to $1,300 per annum, taking 
effect January 1, 1920. The compensation of female cleaners 
in direct-system schools was increased from $600 and $624 to 
$720 per annum, and male cleaners from $672 and $768 to $900 
per annum, taking effect May 1, 1919. These increased rates of 
salary were recommended as we were unable to fill many of the 
vacancies due to the inadequate salaries paid, and if the present 
unsettled conditions continue, it will be necessary to recommend a 
further increase in the very near future for this class of employees. 

Another source of trouble that confronted me on assuming 
office was the quality of the grades of fuel furnished to our 
buildings during the school year 1918-1919. This, of course, 
was due to the war, which necessitated our taking almost any 
quality of fuel that could be obtained in the market. The quality 
of coal furnished during the latter part of 1919, and the early 
part of 1920, was of a much better grade, as the Superintendent 
of School Supplies made contracts for the coal which was fur- 
nished during that period which had to meet the requirements of 
the specifications as adopted by the Board of Estimate and Ap- 
portionment on June 2, 1916. I have recommended that the coal 
known as "Mixture" which is three parts of No. 3 Buckwheat 
and one part of soft be eliminated entirely this coming heating 



16 







season, and No. 1 Buckwheat or Pea Coal substituted, as the 
difference in the purchasing price is only about seventy-five 
cents per ton and the waste and expense in firing is more than 
double that amount, and the Custodians and Engineers' Asso- 
ciation of the Public Schools of Greater New York have pledged 
themselves in resolutions unanimously adopted at a meeting 
held on April 17, 1920, to show a saving of at least ten per cent 
in the coal cost of their buildings where the "Mixture" was 
formerly burned, which saving in money will offset the difference 
in the cost between the "Mixture" and "No. 1 Buckwheat" 
coal. This recommendation was approved by the Board of 
Education at its meeting held on April 28, 1920, and the use 
of the "Mixture" was ordered discontinued for the coming- 
heating season. 

Repeated complaints have been made by janitor-engineers 
and janitors that they have not been furnished with sufficient 
supplies for the reason that their allowances of money for sup- 
plies have not been adequate, and they have also complained 
of the quality of some of the articles furnished to them which, 
no doubt, can also be attributed to war conditions. The 
Custodians and Engineers' Association submitted to me a list 
of articles which they deem necessary for the proper care of their 
buildings, which was prepared by a committee of said association 
after a prolonged study of the needs of the schools in this direction. 
This list was referred to the Superintendent of School Supplies 
for his consideration, and, after a conference between the 
Superintendent of School Supplies, the Committee on Supplies 
of the Custodians and Engineers' Association, and myself, a 
new janitorial supply list was prepared by the Superintendent 
of School Supplies which will insure furnishing the schools with 
supplies of the highest grade. I have also conferred with the 
Superintendent of School Supplies to devise a more equitable 
means of determining a proper allowance for janitorial and 
operating supplies for the various types of schools, for, it is readily 
understandable that, without proper supplies and a sufficient 
quantity of them, we cannot maintain the high standard of 
cleanliness and sanitation which we insist upon, nor can we hold 
our employees accountable. 

The cleanliness of the school houses has been the subject of 
considerable adverse criticism, and, immediately upon the 

17 



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adoption of the salary schedules above referred to, a notice was 
sent to all janitor-engineers, janitors, etc., instructing them to 
give their buildings a thorough cleaning during the Easter and 
summer vacation periods of 1919. A similar notice was sent 
out for a general cleaning during the Easter vacation period 
of 1920, and the many letters of commendation I received from 
principals as to the condition of their buildings upon their return 
to duty after the last Easter vacation period indicate that the 
standard of cleanliness of the various buildings has been raised 
to a marked degree. It must, however, be borne in mind that 
many of the complaints received have been caused by the lack 
of repairs to the buildings for a number of years, owing to the 
refusal of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment to furnish 
the necessary funds to properly repair and paint our school 
buildings. I would earnestly lecommend that every possible 
effort be made to secure funds necessary to place our buildings 
in proper repair and to do the necessary painting as, where the 
interior and exterior of the buildings and classrooms are sadly 
in need of paint (which is the case in the majority of our buildings) 
and their appearance is unpleasant to the eye, whether the 
buildings are clean or not, they are immediately condemned as 
dirty. This painting is not only necessary for appearance sake, 
but for the preservation of the buildings and the sanitary con- 
ditions as well. 

I also found that the ventilating systems which were installed 
in the various buildings, at great cost, have not been operated 
for some time as a measure of fuel economy. It was my intention, 
had funds been available, which were asked for but denied by 
the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, to have had all our 
plants thoroughly overhauled and placed in such condition 
as would insure their proper, efficient, and economical operation, 
as was intended at the time of their installation. With this end 
in view, I requested all janitor-engineers and janitors to test 
out their stacks and indirect heaters, and to advise me of any 
repairs that were necessary. The replies received from them 
were tabulated, but these and other repairs necessary to operate 
the ventilating systems will have to be deferred on account of 
insufficient funds. 

Numerous unlawful entries and robberies have occurred in 
our buildings, attributable, in a large degree, to pupils having 



18 




w^mB^^W-mw^l W 



knowledge of principals and teachers leaving Liberty Bonds, 
Thrift Stamps, money, and other things of value in their buildings. 
I respectfully recommended that principals and teachers be 
instructed not to leave anything of value in the buildings, and to 
so inform all pupils, and, in this way, remove the incentive for 
stealing, which has been largely done by pupils who have had 
knowledge of the valuables being on the school premises. A 
circular letter carrying out these recommendations was forwarded 
to all principals and teachers in charge by the Superintendent 
of Schools, but, in spite of this fact, we still have a great many 
unlawful entries into our school buildings, as a result of which 
money and other personal effects of the teachers, which are of 
value, have been stolen, and of which pupils in the school buildings 
must have knowledge. The loss of the money and personal 
effects of the teachers is comparatively small, but the damage 
done to the desks and other "parts of the buildings, where the 
intruders seek these articles, is quite considerable. In order 
to obviate, in some degree, these unlawful entries, I would 
respectfully urge that the attention of the principals and teachers 
in charge be again called to this matter. 

A great deal of damage has been done to the buildings by boys 
congregating in the neighborhood of schools breaking glass, etc. 
The janitor-engineers, janitors, etc., in some instances, have 
been able to stop this practice, and, on the other hand, many 
have not. I recommend closer cooperation and better pro- 
tection in this matter on the part of the Police Department. 

Upon my assumption of office, forty odd vacancies existed 
in the janitorial staff, and, I am pleased to report that practi- 
cally all of these vacancies have been filled, and the few remain- 
ing vacancies will be filled before the end of the current school 
year, so that we will begin the new school year with our schools 
adequately manned, and, as the grievances of the men have 
been practically settled, there will be no excuse for the schools 
not to be put in the condition with reference to cleanliness in 
which they should be and kept that way, and the plants operated 
in an efficient and economical manner. 

During my incumbency of the office of Superintendent of 
Plant Operation, nine applications for retirement have been 
received from janitor-engineers and janitors who have been in the 



19 




service for upwards of thirty years and who are physically in- 
capacitated for further duty. We were unable to retire these 
men as the Board of Estimate and Apportionment held that 
employees of the Board of Education were withdrawn from the 
operation of other retirement acts by the enactment of Chapter 
496 of the Laws of 1918, which became effective May 7, 1918, 
and which contemplates the establishment of a retirement 
system by the Board of Education for its employees. I am 
happy to report that the Board of Education has approved of 
the retirement system for employees, other than teachers, recom- 
mended by the special committee on the retirement of employees, 
consisting of Messrs. George J. Ryan and Joseph Yeska. This 
retirement system is at present pending before the Board of 
Estimate and Apportionment. Pending the adoption of this 
retirement plan, the Board of Education has granted nire 
applicants for retirement leaves of absence with half of the 
compensation which they netted in their respective buildings. 
I would respectfully urge that the Board of Estimate and 
Apportionment be requested to approve of this retirement 
system at the earliest possible date in order that employees who 
have served the city faithfully for years, and who are incapaci- 
tated from performing further service, may be relieved from duty 
and retired. 

As there have been no janitorial records kept in this Bureau 
for the last three years, and, as those that are here are very 
incomplete, it is absolutely necessary for the proper working 
of this Bureau, and the control of the janitorial force, to install an 
index card system which will give us the record of every em- 
ployee of this Bureau from the time his service began to date, 
together with card records of the plant equipment of each 
building, kind, quality and quantity of all fuel and supplies con- 
sumed in the operation of the plants, and the supplies necessary 
for the proper cleaning of the buildings, together with a history 
thereof. For this work additional office help is required. The 
Board of Estimate in the Budget for 1920, allowed $1,900 for 
the services of a filing clerk or statistician, but, up to the present 
writing, we have been unable to secure the services of such an 
employee at this salary. As a consequence, intensive work on 
these records could not be started. Every effort is being made 
to secure this filing clerk or statistician in order that the Bureau 
records may be pushed to early completion, and thereafter kept 



20 




m±&'.-^&.^ 



in a condition which will insure changes in the personnel being 
made on merit, viz., record and length of service. 

The By-laws, as adopted by the Board of Education on 
November 12, 1919, covering the Bureau of Plant Operation, 
provide that the Superintendent of Plant Operation shall have 
charge of and approve the design and installation of all heating 
and ventilating plants, mechanical equipment pertaining to the 
same, and elevators in all buildings used for educational purposes. 
They also provide that the Superintendent of Plant Operation 
shall have charge of all matters relating to the repair and main- 
tenance of mechanical equipment and heating and ventilating 
plants in all such buildings. In order to carry out the provisions 
of these By-laws, all persons at present employed in the Heating 
and Ventilating Division, now under the control of the Superin- 
tendent of School Buildings, Mr. C. B. J. Snyder, should become 
a part of this Bureau, but, inasmuch as the Budget schedules set 
up by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment for the year 
1920, left the Heating and Ventilating Division in the schedules 
of the Bureau of Buildings and Maintenance, I deemed it inadvis- 
able to disturb the present method of conducting the work of 
this Division. The work of this Division has been conducted 
through the Superintendent of School Buildings and the Deputy 
Superintendents of School Buildings in the various Boroughs as 
heretofore, with the exception that I have had submitted to 
me for approval all plans for heating and ventilating installations 
in new school buildings, and for repairs to heating and ventilating 
plants in old buildings. In the Budget for the year 1921, I will 
recommend that the Heating and Ventilating Division be placed 
under the direct control of the Bureau of Plant Operation and 
that the employees be set up in the schedule for the latter Bureau 
in order that all ambiguity as to the control of the Heating and 
Ventilating Division may be removed, and the Bureau organized 
in a manner that will insure efficient and economical operation 
of the school buildings of The City of New York, the installa- 
tion of plants therein, and the repair of old plants. 

Respectfully submitted, 

R. W. Rodman, . 

Superintendent of Plant Operation. 



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SCHEDULE OF JANITORIAL COMPENSATION 

ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION 

ON FEBRUARY 13, 1919 



A. M. 



Elementary Schools with regular day sessions from 9 
to 3 P. M. 

1. Building Area: 

Area of buildings in square feet to be multiplied by number of 
stories, excluding cellars, deduct janitor's living rooms from 
product. 

When measurement is 10,000 square feet or less, rate $75 per 
thousand square feet. 

When measurement is over 10,000 square feet and up to 15,000 
square feet. Rate, deduct from $75, $1 for each additional 
thousand square feet in excess of 10,000 square feet. 

When measurement is over 15,000 and up to 20,000 square feet. 
Rate, deduct in addition $2, for each additional thousand square 
feet in excess of 10,000 square feet. When measurement is over 
20,000 and up to 75,000 square feet, rate obtained by deducting 
10 cents for each additional J4 thousand in excess of 20,000 
square feet. When measurement is over 75,000 square feet, rate 
constant at $38 per thousand square feet. 

2. Paved Area: 

All buildings of 1,000 to 10,000 square feet of building area, rate 
$25 per thousand square feet. All buildings of over 10,000 square 
feet of building area, rate $18.50 per thousand square feet. 



3. Plant Allowances: 

Building to be classified into : 

Class A. — High pressure plants with plenum system requiring 
janitor-engineer. 

B. — Gravity return plants with motor-driven blowers for 
plenum system requiring janitor-engineer. 

C. — Hot-air furnaces, stoves or low-pressure boilers requiring 
janitor. 

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Class A 



Compensation of plant to be figured by multiplying building 
surface in thousand square feet, as follows : 

In buildings of from 1 to 10,000 square feet building surface. 
Rate $25 per thousand square feet. 

In buildings of over 10,000 and up to 20,000 square feet. 
Rate, deduct from $25, 50 cents for each additional 
thousand square feet in excess of 10,000 square feet. 

In buildings of over 20,000 and up to 50,000 square feet. 
Rate $20 per thousand square feet. 

In buildings of over 50,000 and up to 100,000 square feet. 
Rate, deduct from $20, ten cents for each additional 
thousand square feet in excess of 50,000 square feet. 

In buildings of over 100,000 square feet. Rate $15 per 
thousand square feet. 

Class B 

Compensation of plant to be figured by multiplying building 
surface in thousand square feet as follows : 

In buildings of from 1 to 10,000 square feet building surface. 
Rate $20 per thousand square feet. 

In buildings of over 10,000 and up to 20,000 square feet. 
Rate, deduct from $20, 50 cents for each additional 
thousand square feet in excess of 10,000 square feet. 

In buildings of over 20,000 and up to 50,000 square feet. 
Rate $15 per thousand square feet. 

In buildings of over 50,000 and up to 80,000 square feet. 
Rate, deduct from $15, 10 cents for each additional 
thousand square feet in excess of 50,000 square feet. 

In buildings of over 80,000 square feet. Rate $12 per 
thousand square feet. 



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Class C 

Compensation of plant shall be at the rate of $15 per 
thousand square feet up to 15,000 square feet of building 
surface. 

Over 15,000 square feet building surface the rate shall be 
$12 per thousand square feet. 



4. For generating plants add $10 to plant rate per thousand 

square feet of building measurement. 

5. For Buckwheat, Bituminous, and Mixture Burning plants 

add $3 per thousand square feet of building measurement. 



6. For Elevator or Elevators (Passenger). Add 



per year. 



7. For Elementary Schools under part-time, Double Sessions 

or Gary Plan, where school register of attendance at such 
named schools is more than 50 per cent greater than the 
school register at regular 9 A. M. to 3 P. M. sessions — the 
foregoing compensation to be increased 10 per cent. 

8. For Vocational, Manual Training, Junior High and High 

Schools under single session 9 A. M. to 3 P. M., add 5 
per cent to total compensation. Where the school register 
at such named schools under double sessions is more than 
50 per cent greater than the school register under single 
sessions, add 10 per cent to total compensation. 

9. No Janitor in charge of any school building to receive less 

than $900 per annum. 

10. Janitors or Janitor-engineers hereafter placed in temporary 
charge of buildings to be paid the full salary of such building. 



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